AA, NA and CA. Choices for recovery. Sobriety is the goal!

I am addicted to cocaine. I want to stop but there are no Narcotics Anonymous meetings in my town. Do you know if it is OK for me to go to an AA meeting instead, even though I do not have a problem with alcohol?

Jeannie Cameron Says...

Good for you to be proactive in getting clean!! Absolutely go to AA. It has been the experience of my clients to mix up meetings and many prefer AA over NA because of the longevity in sobriety in AA. There are more "old timers" who seem more dedicated to their sobriety in and Yes there are some AA meetings where the members are "proprietary" and that prefer only alcoholics to attend, but for the most part there are members that accept all substance dependence people seeking sobriety. Actually, there are no two meetings that are the same, as each have their own flavor or "personality". I hope you visit several before you decide where you feel most comfortable.

But please don't let others deter your desire for sobriety. This is your life and you are seeking recovery for yourself. It is the messages and the experience of others that is what you need, and it is in the "helping of others" that keeps these members sober. I hope you do whatever it takes for your sobriety. Many CA (cocaine anonymous) meetings have evolved from both programs. that make people like yourself most comfortable. The recovery skills from all of these programs are very similar.